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The effects of telephone prompting on attendance for starting treatment and retention in treatment at a specialist alcohol clinic
Author(s) -
Jackson Katie R.,
Booth Peter G.,
Salmon Peter,
McGuire James
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
british journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.479
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8260
pISSN - 0144-6657
DOI - 10.1348/014466509x457469
Subject(s) - attendance , psychology , alcohol , telephone survey , telephone call , psychiatry , medicine , family medicine , advertising , biochemistry , chemistry , engineering , electrical engineering , economics , economic growth , business
Objective. To examine the effects of telephone prompting on attendance for the start of treatment and retention in treatment in a specialist alcohol clinic. Method. The study setting was a specialist alcohol treatment clinic. Participants were 172 clients attending as out‐patients. An ABABAB design was used with planned alternating conditions, respectively, with or without a telephone prompt the day before the client was due to attend, over a succession of six consecutive 4‐week periods. Results. Clients who were prompted were more likely to start treatment and attend further treatment sessions than clients who were not prompted. Conclusions. Telephone prompting is a simple and effective way to improve attendance for the start of treatment and retention in alcohol treatment.